On November 7 and 8, Rome will host the V Global Symposium Uniservitate, a meeting that will be accompanied by the Dicastery for Culture and Education.
Organized by Uniservitate, the program for the promotion of solidarity service learning in Catholic Higher Education Institutions, and LUMSA University, the event will bring together leading educators, researchers, academics and students from around the world to explore and share best practices in the integration of solidarity service learning (SSL) in Catholic higher education.
At the end of the two-day event, on Saturday, November 9, representatives from Catholic universities, network leaders, researchers, students and faculty, and Symposium organizers will have the opportunity to participate in a private audience with Pope Francis. This meeting promises to be a source of inspiration, motivating participants to continue transforming society from their educational institutions.
Transforming higher education from within
Since its first edition, the Symposium has evolved to become a key meeting point for Catholic institutions seeking to strengthen their commitment to values-based education.
This year, the theme of the meeting will be “Transforming Higher Education from Within.” “The V Uniservitate Symposium invites us to reflect on how to transform higher education from within, strengthening the commitment of Catholic institutions to an integral formation that promotes service-learning in solidarity. The institutionalization of solidarity service learning and the spirituality of service are key aspects of this Symposium. This meeting will also be an opportunity to share experiences that are making a difference in our communities,” said María Rosa Tapia, coordinator of the Uniservitate program, which is coordinated by Porticus and the Latin American Center for Solidarity Service-Learning (CLAYSS).
Agenda of the V Symposium
During the two-day event, reflections will be shared on the possible ways to institutionalize solidarity service learning in Catholic Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs). The spirituality of service will also be explored in depth and the connections between these themes will be explored.
In addition, the intersections between the Global Compact on Education, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and good practices in solidarity service learning will be addressed, as well as ongoing research.
In addition, the rectors of the institutions that are part of the Uniservitate global network will meet with the Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça. At the same time, the winning researchers of the Small Research Funds 2023/2024 will dialogue with the members of the Uniservitate Academic Sounding Board.
Uniservitate Award 2024
The V Symposium will also be the stage for students and teachers involved in the winning projects of the Uniservitate Award 2024 to share their experiences. In this second edition of the award, which recognizes the best solidarity service learning initiatives in Catholic Higher Education around the world, more than 311 projects from five continents were nominated. Of these, 14 were awarded first prize, and another 14 received special mentions.
Registrations to participate in the V Symposium will be open until October 31 on the Uniservitate website.
Those who want to follow it online can subscribe to the Uniservitate YouTube Channel (English) and CLAYSS YouTube Channel (Spanish), activating the notifications to be informed when the conferences are being broadcasted and new materials about the V Symposium are uploaded.
About Uniservitate
It is a program that accompanies the transformation of Catholic Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs) through the institutionalization of solidarity service learning, forming agents of change committed to society according to the social doctrine of the Church. It is an initiative led by Porticus and coordinated by CLAYSS, in support of the Global Compact on Education promoted by Pope Francis. Created in 2020, the Uniservitate global network is present in 26 countries on 5 continents through partnerships with more than 30 universities and educational institutions. More information: www.uniservitate.org/what-is-uniservitate
